In electric or hybrid vehicles driven wholly or partly by electric current, very high currents and/or voltages are transmitted via the connector elements and thus the electric contacts installed therein.
Owing to the high currents and/or voltages, particularly stringent safety requirements are made of the connector elements. In this regard, by way of example, the standards of the VDE (German Association of Electrical Engineering), such as e.g. VDE 0470, and European standards, such as e.g. IEC/EN 61032, stipulate that the contact elements must be afforded protection in respect of being touched by a human finger. For a corresponding test, a so-called test finger is provided, which is intended to simulate a human fingertip and is pressed with a prescribed test force against sections or openings of the connector element via which the contact elements are accessible, without being permitted to come into contact with current-carrying sections of the contact elements in the process.
The prior art discloses a multiplicity of connector elements in which the contact elements are intended to be prevented from being touched in various ways. In this regard, the contact elements themselves can be provided with shock protection bodies or be concealed with the aid of movable shock protection devices in an open state of the connectors such that they comply with the corresponding standards or regulations for shock protection. In a final connected state of the connectors, the movable shock protection devices are withdrawn in order that the contact elements can be contacted by mating contact elements.
By way of example, the document DE 10 2010 035 943 A1 discloses a connector for high-voltage applications having a housing, on which are shaped electrically insulating walls that project beyond the upper and side edges of a flat connector pin held by the housing to an extent such that a human finger ought to be able to touch the edges of the walls, without making touching contact with the flat connector pin.
On account of the maximum distances to be complied with between the contact surfaces and the shock protection, the contact surfaces of a connector often have only a small surface area. However, this has a disadvantageous effect on the temperature distribution in an HV connection.
This is a state in need of improvement.